Edun-Abon Royal Rumbles: Court Grants Two Chiefs, One Other Bail Over Alleged Arson

By Arogundade Nafisat

An Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Osun on Monday granted bail to two traditional chiefs,Chief Olatidoye Oyedokun 75, and Chief Odebode Elijah Akande 60, alongside one Gbenga Olasunbo (55) over alleged arson.

The Magistrate, Mrs Rofiat Olayemi, granted the defendants bail and adjourned the case for hearing on the next date of adjournment.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Oladoye Joshua, had during their arraignment on 17th of January told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 19, 2018 at Edun-Abon, Ife North local government area , Osun.

Joshua said that the accused persons unlawfully set the palace of Salu of Edun-Abon ablaze alongside vehicles parked therein.

He said the suspects set ablaze vehicles to include, one Laurel car, one Geely car, one Benze car, two Hondo motorcycles and two Bajaj motorcycles worth N50 million.

The prosecutor said the defendants also injury one Omooba Kehinde Oladepo and one Ayoola Abiola and also stripped naked one Mrs. Temitope Adeola and Oluwatoyin Olawoye, among others and took their nude photographs/videos and posted the clips on social media platforms such as Face book and whatsApp.

The Defence Counsel,  Mrs Bose  Dada had prayed the court to granted the defendants bail in the most liberal terms.

But, police prosecutor opposed the bail application opposed the oral bail applications on the grand that the matter is a case of conspiracy in which others accused persons are still at large.

Oladoye further said granting bail at this age would aggravate the tension the community and also send a wrong signal to the society.

Ruling on the matter, Magistrate Rofia Olayemi held that though bail is the right of accused but in view of the fact that there is still tension in the community granting bail to the accused would heighten tension in the community and expose the accused persons to unwarranted attack.

She therefore, ruled that there bail application would be considered in the next date of adjournment.

At the resuming hearing on Monday, Mrs Rofiat Olayemi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50 each and one surety in the like sum.

She ordered that the three defendants be remanded at Ilesa prison custody and adjourned the case till January 28, 2019.

The had earlier  pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them.